The Giants have already clinched the National League West, and if they can survive through five games in the postseason, a sixth would mean Melky Cabrera will be eligible to rejoin the team after serving his 50-game suspension for testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone. The decision the Giants have to make is whether they want to bring him back or move on without him during the playoffs.

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Chances were the Giants would have welcomed back Cabrera after his 50 games are up, but once it came out that the left fielder concocted a moronic scheme to win an appeal -- he tried to build a fake web site to prove he accidentally took a banned substance -- the Giants couldn't distance themselves from Cabrera fast enough. He cheated the team and embarrassed the organization.

Now it appears the Giants will not pursue Cabrera, their leading hitter, in the offseason once he becomes a free agent. It is also becoming more apparent that they have no desire to add him to their playoff roster once he is eligible.

It’s also not as if the Giants need his services. Since his suspension, the Giants are 25-11 and have gone from one game back in the division to having a 10-game lead. They have actually gotten better offensively since Cabrera, the league’s leading hitter, was suspended thanks to Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval getting and staying hot. As a team, the Giants are hitting .288/.338/.425 since the suspension as opposed to .264/.324/.387 with Cabrera.

The Giants have been criticized softly for allowing Guillermo Mota to return to their bullpen after he served a 100-game suspension for a second failed test. But had the Giants released Mota once he was eligible to return, he could have filed a grievance and would have had a strong case.

For Cabrera, the Giants don’t have to bring him back because the playoff roster rules are different and the Giants can legitimately argue they are a better club without Cabrera right now.

It’s likely that Cabrera would not fight the Giants if they decided to not include him in the postseason. Cabrera understands he embarrassed the franchise and with his newfound desire to rehabilitate his image – he took himself out of the running for the batting title last week – a grievance would just make him look worse.

Not only that, but Mota had the luxury of pitching in minor league games before he returned to the big leagues. Cabrera would have no such luxury because the minor league season is over, forcing him to jump right in during the playoffs.

Every thing considered, the Giants are better off without Cabrera. They know it and he knows it.